Once a Failure, Not Always a Failure
by The Spacetime Continuum
Summary: Hinata is tired of being considered a failure by her fellow ninja. She decides to leave Konoha and become a stronger ninja and person. Trouble brews as enemy ninja, later including the Akatsuki, attempt to capture her. Read and review. Ch. 3 is up!
1. So You Want to Be a Missing Nin

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

**AN: OK, please review after you read this (or not). I am in desperate need of constructive criticism and advice from all you experienced authors and geniuses out there. Tell me if it's too boring, dramatic, short, retarded, or any other crappy aspects of my writing. **

The salty tears burned Hinata's raw flesh as they dropped, one by one, onto her hands. The burden of failure rested on her back, unrelenting and parasitic. Yes, she had developed two new techniques and had mastered them in the past few years, and, yes, her Gentle Fist techniques had improved, but compared to her fellow ninja, Hinata was the same old weakling she had been three years ago. Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, TenTen, Lee, Neji….they had all developed into some of the most respected and powerful ninja in Konoha. Hinata had been left behind.

And Neji…Neji had become so powerful. His improvement and techniques dwarfed Hinata's…a giant compared to an ant. "Big Brother" Neji was the only one of the original so-called rookies to become Jounin. His chakra control was remarkable…his techniques were so unbeatable and powerful. Neji was the genius, the true Byuakugan heir. Hinata had been cast to the side.

An aura of self-fulfillment surrounded Neji, whilst a cloud of failure floated around Hinata. Even Hanabi was stronger than her now. And Naruto, the so-called Dunce, had developed so many new techniques and strategies. Plus, he had recently gone to undergo training to become a Sage, just like the Sannin Jaraiya. Hinata felt her burden of failure become heavier. The Hyuga heiress, was the true heiress no more.

_Flashback_

_Pandemonium had arrived in Konoha. Uchiha Sasuke had become a missing-nin and left with four Sound Ninja. A retrieval party had been sent after him, consisting of Chouji, Kiba, Naruto, Neji, and Shikamaru. Hinata felt more than ever the gaping gap between the other rookies and herself. Even Chouji had been sent, and he had failed after five minutes during the Chunnin Exams. Hinata had fought bravely, and it was a giant step toward becoming a formidable ninja. But soon, she was once more left behind. _

Getting up and getting a roll of bandages. Wrapping her bloody hands that she had earned from training. Wiping her tears. Walking out of the Hyuga compound. Ignoring the calls of her friends. Putting one foot in front of the other, slowly making her way toward the forest.

_The retrieval mission had failed, but the ninja who had participated in it had survived. It was a narrow miss, a failure that caused improvement. Neji had come back with two gaping holes in his chest, on the brink of death, but he had succeeded in killing his opponent in the end. Naruto had come back unconscious, but had showed true bravery and strength in his fight with Sasuke. The two most important people in her life, Neji and Naruto, had left her behind again. _

Walking to a post in the middle of a clearing. Hitting the wooden post again and again, ignoring the repeated stinging in her hands. Byuakugan activated. Using Jyuuken. Hitting, hitting, hitting. Chakra concentrated toward bloody hands. Hitting, hitting, hitting. Sitting down, taking off the bloody bandages and rewrapping her hands. Training, ignoring all else.

_Hinata had finally developed two unique techniques that could match Neji's. Although she had failed on her mission, she had become a stronger and tougher kunoichi, and equal in Shino's and Kiba's eyes. For that one mission, Hinata finally felt that she could live up to the Hyuga clan's expectations and requirements. For that one day after the mission, Hinata felt like she was floating, a failure no more. _

Walking to a nearby lake. Concentrating fiercely in her mind. Standing on the water and making rapid motions with her hands. Activated Byuakugan eyes concentrating fiercely. Creating beams of chakra that penetrated all, that closed off the chakra points of the opponent. Splitting the water droplets all around her, again and again. Satisfied with her technique, if only for a moment. Creating a weblike formation of chakra around her. Forming an ultimate defense, one that rivaled even Neji's. Again and again until sweat burned her raw hands and her chakra was nearly depleted. Resting on a rock. Feeling the ever-present need to escape destiny, become stronger, tougher, more powerful.

_Hinata was sitting at Ichiraku's Ramen Bar with Naruto. Slurping noodles with him, laughing with him, failure forgotten. The name Sasuke-kun popped up. Hinata watched Naruto's face darken. Heard him repeat the tale of his mission, elaborating on how strong Sasuke had gotten within three years of training with Orochimaru. Hinata thought to herself, 'If I became a missing-nin and left Konoha, would I become that strong…?'_

The will to become stronger was present, more troublesome than ever. Prodding Hinata to leave Konoha, become stronger, and return. To leave the confines of weakness behind. To come back a full-fledged and powerful kunoichi. A hero in Naruto's eyes, no longer a failure to Neji.

Hinata slowly got to her feet. She was determined to become all that she could be. Iron will strengthened her resolve. She would leave Konoha and train to become a powerful ninja. True, she was not a genius like Neji, or as stubborn as Naruto, but Hinata could persevere and fully develop into the heir of the Hyuga clan's Byuakugan.

Hinata leapt onto the cliff in front of her, higher and higher. She leapt onto the nearest tree branch at the top of the cliff and jumped forward. Crouch, leap, crouch, leap. Thunk, swish, thunk, swish. Farther from failure, and closer to her ultimate destiny, closer to success.

**R&R--Your friendly neighborhood Nostradamus. **


	2. Of Capture and Attempted Escape

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Author's Note: For all readers, haters, and aliens out there: I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update. I've been sort of busy. I have been cursed by any heavenly force with weird parents who do not allow creative writing…or something. **

**Please read and review. I would really appreciate constructive criticism, but please, no flames. Please, please please don't play with fire. It destroys me inside. XD**

Hinata heard four pairs of feet behind her. Or rather, three sets of feet. Eight feet in all.

"Byuakugan!"

She should have known. Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino, her teammates, and probably the people she spent the most time around. Hinata knew their chakras very well. Wisely, she checked her body for any foreign chakra sources. There was one—a female insect, one of Shino's. There was nothing Hinata could do against two of her fellow teammates. She was too weak, both physically and emotionally, to fight them. Hinata was not a cold-hearted kunoichi, and Kiba and Shino were two of her best friends, almost her blood brothers.

Hinata turned around.

"K-kiba…? Sh-sh-shino…?"

She cursed herself inwardly for her stuttering, lack of courage (or Naruto-ness) , and her outward display of weakness. If Hinata were facing an enemy ninja, she would have been dead already. A fragile ninja is a ninja with a bulls-eye painted on his/her chest.

It was Shino who spoke first, in his quiet and precise way.

"Hinata. What are you doing? More precisely, where are you going?"

Every word was clear cut, edged with steel. And every word stung, for Hinata's teammates to regard her so coldly.

"Yeah, Hinata. Are you on a mission or something…?" It was Kiba who spoke this time. Akamaru barked his agreement in doggy language (bark, bark XD).

Hinata easily lost control of herself. This situation was one of those times.

To nobody's surprise, a blush instantly spread across her cheeks, deepening with each second. Hinata began to play with her fingers, and her eyes began roaming everywhere except where Kiba, Shino, and Akamaru were standing.

"W-well, th-th-the th-thing i-i-is…"

"Yeaaaahhhhhh………." "Go on" "bark, bark!"

(three guesses who said what, the first two don't count)

"I-I was s-sent by Father t-to deliver a s-special message t-to the Feudal Lord of the L-land of-f Waves."

Hinata surprised herself with her lie. It was not like her at all to lie to her close friends/teammates. She wondered to herself, 'Am I becoming a monster…a monster and a missing-nin like Sasuke already?' However, Hinata pushed these thoughts out of her mind. 'I—I will become strong. Strong enough that one day, even I will be respected by my family, friends, and fellow ninja. E-even N-neji and Naruto. Especially Naruto.' Hinata faintly smiled in her mind. Naruto. He was such a brav……and was brought out of her reverie by her teammate's loud voice.

Kiba demanded with a snort, "So why didn't tell us in the first place then? Geez!" (bark bark)

Shino nodded and spoke with quiet precision, "It would have saved us a lot of trouble. We'll leave now. Kiba and I would be forgetting our places if we decided to interfere with your clan's business. We give the Hyugas our sincere apologies."

Hinata blinked, confusion clouding her mind. There was no need for apologies. They were friends…right? "Th-there's n-n-no need f-for that, Sh-shi……."

And was again interrupted by Kiba (who is acting oddly like Naruto), whose obnoxiously loud voice rang throughout the forest. "Who's apologizing anyways, Bug Boy? And besides, it's me and Kiba, not Kiba and I. That sounds weird. Are you sure you're not sick or something?"

Shino turned his back on Hinata and Kiba and leapt into the forest. Kiba followed. As their figures began to blend back into the shadowy foliage, Hinata could catch a thread of their heated conservation.

"First of all, Kiba, my insects are not _bugs_. They are _insects_. Respect them like you would Akamaru. And secondly, haven't you ever noticed the way everybody else talks or paid attention to the grammar classes at the Academy? It is Kiba and I, as a term of respect…………"

"Whatever, _Insect_ Dude."

Hinata smiled. She missed her old team, and she had not gone on a mission with them for so long. It took all of her will power to force her body forward. Hinata was determined to become stronger. And a determined kunoichi, especially a Hyuga who has encountered failure much too often, can be called unstoppable.

There were only two things on Hinata's mind right now. When Konoha ninja would notice her disappearance, and where she was headed. It was already quite clear that the Hyuga heiress was not running away, but running _to somewhere_, a destination that is yet to be revealed.

A day passed of constant running, constant leaping. Hinata was breaking down, her determination going with her strength. Why was she always so weak? Even the thought of Naruto and his ignorant courage only barely allowed Hinata to keep moving forward. Until now.

Hinata was exhausted from using her Byuakugan so much. Every five minutes she would check for enemy ninja, hunters who were seeking to find the secret of Konoha's most potent weapon.

Finally, her constant efforts bore fruit. Ten ninja were following her. Amateur at best, these ninja were merely rogues who were paid to hunt weaker ninja down. Their numbers were large, their skills weak. These two factors made up for each other.

Hinata was outnumbered ten to one, but she seriously doubted that the rogue ninja knew the true power of the Byuakugan.

An increasingly clear and analyzing tactical mind gave Hinata an edge in some battles. If her brain worked and didn't freeze in the situation. Not many ninja expected such a frail-looking kunoichi to even know how to throw a kunai, let alone analyze.

Hinata leapt to the forest floor and reactivated her Byuakugan. In an instant, she was surrounded by ten rogues who wore no hitie-ate. They belonged to no one but worked for the highest price they could get. Traitors.

Thankfully, Hinata's mind was clear. She could think, and hopefully act….like herself.

"W-what do you w-want with m-me?"

"You're coming with us, girly. Or we'll take you by force. And it won't be pleasant."

Hinata visibly gulped, but it didn't take a genius to figure out the ring of ten rogues was slowly closing in around her. Perfect.

"U-u-ummm, p-please d-don't do that. I-I need t-to get h-home soon."

"By the way, what's a pretty kunoichi like you doing out here all alone. You never know, there could be bad guys, or even….," said one particularly sadistic ninja.

"Silence!" presumably the leader said. "We stick to the mission."

The circle closed tighter around Hinata. She thought to herself, 'Just a bit tighter. Then I can prove to both myself and these criminals my true power…"

"Hey, maybe we can have some fun with her before we knock her out. You know…" the sadistic man laughed again, before being kicked by his fellows.

"Shut up!"

"Geez, sorry. Just trying to wear her down a little."

Hinata finally spoke, rotating so that she could see the men, one by one. She wouldn't show her Byuakugan's true powers. Not yet, at least. "W-why do y-y-you n-need me, a-anyways?"

A tall man smirked. "WE don't need you, our employer does. Mentioned something about Byuakugan, slave, blackmail, the usual stuff. Fun for you, fun for him, fun for us. Everybody's satisfied."

The circle closed even tighter.

NOW!

Hinata flooded her arms with chakra and prepared to use her special attack, her version of the Sixty-Four Palms. Nothing happened. She barely had any chakra left.

**I didn't plan this story out to be a romance, since I really suck at writing fluff or lemons or whatnot. I haven't really tried either. It would really also help, if, in your possibly existent review, you would tell me if I should make this a darkfic with character death. **

**Thanks!—Nostradamus the Prophet**


	3. Capture, Escape, Mysterious Cussing

"_Shoot." _

How could she have been so careless? She knew that she was low on chakra, but to not be aware that it was being leached from her, her life line, her very being……. Why was she even a ninja? She should have known, should have _felt_ her chakra, her power being sucked from her. The very essence of her being as a ninja, gone.

Several of the hunter ninja smirked. One guffawed loudly. And the circle continued to close.

_Don't cry. Don't show weakness. Keep your face impassive. _

But nothing could keep in the inner turmoil. She was failing, once more. This time, there would be no going back. There was always Kiba, Shino, Akamaru, or even Naruto to guard her back. This time, Hinata was on her own, with no one to help her. Why was she such a failure?

Again, like predators, the circle closed. Hinata could smell the alcohol on their breaths, the stink of their clothes, even the sweat. And it was then that her imagination began to play up, in the best of times.

Even now, in a supposedly civilized time, there was a great demand for slaves…particularly _female_ ones. No one would know what would happen to her. And if anyone besides a Hyuga got their hands on her, her Byuakugan eyes, her heritage……the greatest of Konoha clans would become nothing.

_How could I do this? Why do I fail at everything that I do? _

But Hinata knew in her heart that she must fight back, MUST. She still had a chance in surviving. Never mind the odds now. Just be like Naruto. Fight.

And as the circle closed in once more, Hinata lunged at the nearest ninja with a suddenly visible kunai knife. Obviously, these foreign ninja were not as weak as they looked. Maybe they weren't smart, but that didn't account for much in this situation. Hinata had brains, yes, but the enemy had the tactical advantage. Great.

Hinata didn't miss. The ninja had dodged. Even better.

In a series of moves taught to her by Neji, Hinata attempted to hit the pressure points of the enemy. Not chakra points, but pressure points. Points that would hurt like mad if pressed hard enough.

Hinata felt one ninja fall back as she managed to shove his neck with her elbow and his stomach with his foot. Not bad, for such a tense situation.

Of the original five ninja, only four were left. Great odds. But not as bad as before. Slowly, ever so slowly, Hinata gained an advantage. Another ninja, the guffawing one, sank to his knees and didn't get up again as she managed to cut a foot tendon with her kunai and sink a _particularly_ forceful knee into his stomach. _Serves him right for laughing at me_.

Three to one. Not bad, Hinata thought to herself.

Two to one. A careless teenage ninja was killed as he left one side of his body open. A kunai in his neck, another in his thigh, and a third into his heart. Hinata's aiming skills had definitely improved.

_I can take them. I can do this. _

The fourth ninja flopped, unconscious and comatose, to the ground when several senbon pierced his vertebral column.

_Yes. _

And finally. The last greasy, smelly, perverted ninja fell with an audible thump with a crushed midsection.

_Thank you, Sakura. _

Hinata panted but smiled in relief. Thanks to her lucky stars, she had proved herself worthy this one time. She better leave while she still could……

But who was their employer? Surely Hinata had the right to know that.

She went to the ninja who first spoke, obviously the leader. His employer had definitely underestimated the Hyuga heiress. Apparently, anyways.

Hinata searched all of the ninja. Every single one. But no one carried a mission scroll or anything that would show who employed them.

Hinata rose. This was probably just another "I'm drunk and my wife left me, so now I'm a pedophile" thing. Nothing that was important compared to her quest to become strong.

_I need to rest. My chakra is nearly complete depleted. I'm exhausted. _

No such luck.

"What the fuck. Seriously, Kakuzu. That fucking Leader had better do it right next time."


End file.
